Thursday, March 5, 2009

Rice is one of my favorite pantry staples. I love it because it is economical. I love it because it is extremely versatile.

We enjoy rice a lot of different ways, but recently I was reminded by my sister-in-law that rice, in the form of rice pudding, is an excellent dessert. It had been quite some time since we had enjoyed rice pudding, but after seeing Delilah include it on her weekly menu, we are on a little rice pudding kick.

In the simplest form, rice pudding is only rice, sugar, and milk. There is no need to stop with just those simple ingredients, though. Adding spices, dried fruit and nuts can dramatically change the flavor of the dessert. Rice pudding can also be topped with fruit for a delicious treat.

There really is no right way to make rice pudding. It can be made with leftover rice, or it can be made with uncooked rice. It is delicious when it is baked in the oven, and equally good made on the stove.

Here is a very basic recipe to start with:

Rice Pudding

1/2 cup rice

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

4 cups milk

Mix together in a greased casserole dish. Bake covered at 325 F for two hours. Uncover, and allow to brown slightly.

I usually add a teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of ginger, and three or four cardamon pods. The last time I made it I was running a bit low on milk, so I used some evaporated milk in the recipe. I measured out one can of the evaporated milk, and an equal amount of water. I used fresh milk for the remainder of the four cups. You could not taste the difference. Using the evaporated milk makes this an even more economical dessert.

Rice pudding is all around good. It is easy, delicious, and economical. It is adaptable to a wide variety of tastes and preferences. What is not to love?

Rice pudding takes me bake to my childhood and cold winter nights when we would have it to finish off a warming meal. I must admit I like mine just plain with some preserved fruit on the side. Margaret

I love rice pudding, but to make it more "exotic" tasting, I use coconut milk instead.And if you are at the nearest Asian grocery store (if you precook mung beans and taro pieces) you can add these ingredients and make a lovely, extra starchy dessert!